Babywearing at Home

Babywearing isn’t just for long walks across muddy fields or navigating public transport when you can’t face lugging a buggy around (although those are both great reasons to babywear!), there’s a hundred reasons why babywearing at home is the best thing, and we thought we’d share a few…

 

Get things done!

It sounds pretty simple and it is. Even the most independent baby can be clingy sometimes but babywearing lets you get on with your life hands-free whether that’s giving some love and attention to another child, finally getting that cup of tea made and… wait for it… drunk whilst still hot, or just making your way through that ever-growing pile of washing. And pro tip: as your baby gets older try using the back carry or hip carry position if your carrier supports it to give you even more range of movement and freedom.

 

Breastfeeding

Babywearing can increase your chances of succeeding with breastfeeding and all Ergobaby carriers support breastfeeding while wearing your baby. It might take a little manoeuvring in the first instance and then a little practice, but it’ll soon become second nature. And our 360, Adapt, Original and Omni 360 carriers all have a handy hood that can be used for privacy if it makes you feel more comfortable. Once you’ve got the hang of it and can breastfeed on the go, you’ll be amazed at your new-found freedom! And it’s not just the actual feed that babywearing can help with, your carrier can be a lifesaver if your baby has reflux or is colicky as being held upright can help alleviate symptoms more quickly.

 

Explore the world (or living room!) together

Even if it’s just within in your home, having your baby with you and held up at your height means you can interact with them and show them your world from the safety and comfort of your body. Babies learn by watching faces, and babywearing puts your little one at conversational height – “the best seat in the house.”

 

Exercise

Thanks to exercise programmes like CARiFiT ‘s babywearing exercise classes you can exercise from the comfort of your own home whilst wearing your baby. Perfect for when your baby doesn’t want to be put down, but mama needs to get her sweat on!

Bonding

Okay so this one is true wherever you’re babywearing but the biggest benefit of babywearing is how much it can help you (and other caregivers) to bond with your baby. The benefit of babywearing at home is you can use your carrier for skin-to-skin contact which has been found to increase levels of oxytocin, the feel-good hormone, and reduce cortisol, the stress hormone. Oxytocin is can also help with breastfeeding.

 

Soothing

In a similar vein to bonding, babywearing can help soothe your baby and carried babies cry less. In a study published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers found that babywearing for three hours a day reduced infant crying by 43 percent overall and 54 percent during evening hours.

Support physical and mental development

Babywearing can support babies’ physical development, such as early language development and mental development, giving them the best possible start.

 

Toddlers

And it’s not just your newborn or younger baby that will enjoy babywearing, toddlers can benefit from the closeness and security it brings too. As they develop their own personalities and start to figure out the big wide world around them babywearing helps remind them of their ‘home base’ letting them to feel safe and secure and allowing that bond to continue as they grow.

 

The tools for the job

• The Aura Baby Wrap – a soft and stretchy wrap perfect for newborn snuggles and specially designed to make tying easy for first-timers
• The Embrace baby carrier – renegotiating the question of ‘wrap or carrier?’ and specially designed to keep your newborn close in a soft and tender embrace
• The Adapt baby carrier –    newborn ready, with crossable straps to fit different sizes
• The Omni 360 baby carrier – an all-in-one, newborn ready carrier which offers all carry positions and grows with you from week 1 to 20 kg